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Katherine Mayfair
|Last appearance = |Portrayer = Dana Delany }} Biography Katherine, an old friend of Susan's, returned to Wisteria Lane after a twelve year absence. Katherine rivals Bree as "Queen Of All Things Domestic" and prides herself on being an excellent wife and mother. Early Life Katherine Davis lived 4356 Wisteria Lane twelve years before the events of Season Four. Sharing the home was her daughter Dylan Mayfair and her Aunt Lillian, who owned the house. It is revealed throughout season 4 that Katherine's ex-husband Wayne Davis had beat her on several occasions and often left her in fear. As revealed in the fourth season finale, Katherine and Aunt Lillian had Mary Alice Young babysit Dylan one particular night. When they return, Mary Alice tells them that Wayne, Dylan's father, had come to visit his daughter and gave her a doll as a gift. Furious, Katherine took the doll from her sleeping daughter and places it on top of a huge wooden bookshelf in the bedroom. Later, Wayne returns and a confrontation between the two leads to Katherine striking Wayne with a candlestick, causing him to leave. Katherine awoke sometime later to Lillian's screams from Dylan's bedroom. Upon reaching the room, she discovers that her daughter, while trying to retrieve the doll, was crushed and killed by the off-balanced bookshelf. In shock, Katherine and Aunt Lillian realize that Wayne could have them arrested for murder, so they bury Dylan's body in the woods behind the house. Mary Alice and Susan knock on Katherine's front door, only to find that she is moving away without any explanation. After leaving Wisteria Lane, Katherine visits a Romanian orphanage and finds a young girl who bears a striking resemblance to her now-deceased daughter. Katherine adopts the young girl and changes her name to Dylan in an attempt to cover up the accidental death of her daughter. Season Four Katherine first arrives in season four's premiere "Now You Know," as a former resident of Wisteria Lane, who had left abruptly and without further explanation for over twelve years. As the housewives watch her and her family move into the street, Susan recognizes her and runs to hug her. At Katherine's home, she introduces her family. Katherine is now married to Adam Mayfair who is a gynecologist and she tells the girls that they moved back to be with her aunt Lillian who is ill. Katherine immediately gets upon Bree Van de Kamp's nerves by asking her to cut down the tree in her yard and has the nerve to call the rest of the wives "newcomers" to the neighbourhood she lived in before them. Bree begins to grow a dislike towards her. It's revealed that Katherine's daughter, Dylan and Julie Mayer were best friends when they were little but Dylan doesn't seem to remember Julie or anyone on the street. Julie tells her mother that Dylan is not the same girl that she used to know. It's revealed that something awful happened 12 years ago that caused Katherine to move, but she doesn't want Dylan to know what it is. Dylan questions Katherine about her father but she doesn't want to talk about him. When Dylan calls Katherine a monster, Katherine slaps her hard across the face. Katherine, Dylan and Adam do not notice however that Bree was listening to the entire conversation. Katherine later catches Julie and her daughter in a locked room in her house and not only sends Julie home, but forbids Dylan to hang out with her ever again. Katherine informs Adam her aunt Lillian is ready to come home and she says she is letting her sleep in the room which she forbade Dylan to sleep in. When alone, Katherine lifts up a rug and looks at a large gash in the floor and breaks down in tears. It's revealed Lillian knows Katherine's mysterious secret. Lillian is brought home so she can die there. Lillian tells Katherine that they should tell Dylan the truth about what they covered up so many years ago; however, Katherine refuses. Lillian then attempts to tell Dylan the truth, but Katherine returns home just in time to stop Lillian. In her last living moments, Lillian writes down what they had covered up in hope that Dylan would find it. She dropped it on the floor and then died. Katherine watches as her body is taken away and she leaves the room, but the piece of paper remains hidden under the bed. Dylan is still eager to find out about her father but Katherine tells her he was a horrible man that used to beat her up. In the episode "Something's Coming" Katherine and her husband, Adam, stay with Bree her house during a tornado. It's revealed that Adam had an affair with Sylvia Greene who was a former patient of his and that's why he and Katherine had to leave Chicago. Bree comforts Katherine and at the end of the episode it appears that Bree and Katherine have finally become friends. Angry at Adam, Katherine throws him out of the house. Adam then discovers Lily's note and confronts Katherine, leaving her. In her anger, she burns the note, only for Dylan to find information in the remains. Dylan soon meets her father, Wayne Davis, who is a police officer. He stopped her the day before for speeding, but it turned out he just wanted to get a good look at her. Dylan then lies to Katherine and meets Wayne several times. Dylan eventually comes clean, and Katherine agrees to see Wayne. Wayne seems pleased to see Katherine, but Katherine tells him that she does not believe he has changed at all. Dylan confronts Katherine when she decides to move, now that Wayne knows where they live. When Wayne picks Dylan up to take her to her recital, Wayne suggests they go as a family. But Katherine tells him that Dylan is not his daughter. Wayne himself discovers through a DNA test and by Dylan's lack of scars from where she fell off her bike years ago that Dylan is not his daughter. In the 4th season finale, Bree comes knocking on the door looking for Katherine, who bailed out on their catering job for Bob and Lee's wedding. Bree is then taken hostage by Wayne. It is when Wayne threatens Bree's life that Katherine tells him the truth. Wayne, in a fit of rage, raises his gun and says he wants to kill Katherine for burying their daughter like a dog. Adam shows up and fights with Wayne. As Bree goes to help clean Adam up, Katherine is left holding a gun to Wayne. As Wayne lays there he continues to make threats, Katherine shoots him in the chest, instantly killing him. Moments later the police arrive, and Katherine is in cuffs and it appears she is going to jail. However, when the police question the housewives, they all give alibis in Katherine's favor, saying how horrible and dangerous Wayne was. Katherine is then released as it was self-defense. Five-year jump Five years after the events concluding Season 4, Katherine is no longer with Adam. The other housewives have fully accepted Katherine as "one of them", particularly Bree who sees Katherine as the sister she never had. Season Five In "Mirror, Mirror", flashbacks reveal that during the five-year time jump, Bree began drinking again and Katherine helped her recover, allowing the two women to bond further. Katherine is now a business partner of Bree's and there is some jealousy there because Bree is the star of their business, having published a cookbook, using some of Katherine's recipes. Katherine is doing a great deal of the work without credit though and feels betrayed. Bree decids to dedicate the book to Katherine but she doesn't think that's enough. Katherine get's back at Bree by embarrassing her in a TV interview. After Bree hires Orson, Katherine doesn't feel like she's needed anymore and tells Bree she wants to quit and be with Dylan. Bree talks her out of it and sets her up with Orson's friend. Later in the season, Katherine starts a relationship with Mike Delfino. At first, they wanted to keep the affair secret but Bree discovers a surveillance video of the two of them having sex in the test kitchen. Eventually Susan finds out and is very unhappy that her friend is dating her ex-husband. Susan does not want Mike to leave their son M.J. in her care, as M.J. appears to start preferring Katherine to Susan. Katherine tells Susan she has no choice in the matter, as Mike is planning to move in with her soon. After an argument following Katherine and Mike's housewarming however, it appears that Susan and Katherine have agreed to put their differences aside and be friends again. Dave Williams plans to enact revenge on Mike so he takes him and Katherine camping. During the trip, Dave was about to shoot Katherine; however, Edie finally discovered that Dave marrying her and moving to Wisteria Lane was all a plan to get to Mike. Edie texted Dave at the exact moment that he was firing the gun, which caused him to miss. Mike is still in love with Susan and is upset when he hears that she's getting married to Jackson. Katherine is however thrilled because she figures Susan won't be a threat anymore. Katherine tricks M.J. into asking Mike, in front of her, if he's willing to marry her. He eventually proposes and she accepts. Katherine discovers Jackson is only marrying Susan for a green card but doesn't tell Mike. Katherine deceives Susan by allowing her to think Mike wants to pay alimony even though she's marrying another man. When Susan wants to confront Mike, Katherine admits to not telling Mike that Susan's engagement to Jackson was not real because she was afraid that he would leave her for Susan. Katherine and Mike are at the airport headed for Las Vegas to get married when Mike discovers that Susan and M.J. are in danger. After Dave's plan to kill M.J. in a crash fails, Mike and Susan kiss. In the last scene of the finale, Mike is seen marrying someone whose face is not shown. The camera pans the audience in attendance and neither Katherine nor Susan is shown. Season Six It is revealed that Mike's bride is Susan who is preparing to walk down the aisle, revealing that Mike chose to marry her rather than marry Katherine. Through flashbacks, it's revealed that Mike broke up with Katherine and proposed to Susan. When Susan is out, her wedding dress is delivered to Katherine's house. Katherine wears it while cooking to annoy Susan and demands Susan publicly apologize to her for taking Mike away. Susan initially refuses and locks her in a closet, Katherine then breaks free, crashes the wedding, but Mike demands she leave. Susan, finally feeling guilty then apologizes, but Katherine remains bitter. Katherine declares war against Susan and begins to plot a way to get back at her. When Susan is with Julie at the hospital, Katherine visits Mike, gives him a kiss and tells him she'll be there for him. Katherine then tells Orson that Mike made a pass at her, hoping this will get back to Susan. Katherine informs Bree that Mike's going to dump Susan soon and reunite with her. Later, Bree and Katherine cause a scene at a wedding they're catering, as Katherine becomes emotional over a cake. Bree is troubled by Katherine's behavior and when Katherine shows up the next day, Bree fires her. Katherine uses her key to scratch up Bree's car. Susan is angry when Bree tells her about Katherine hitting on Mike. Things come to a head at a neighborhood watch meeting after Susan ignores Katherine when she tries to volunteer, escalating into Susan publicly threatening Katherine if she doesn't leave her and Mike alone. That night, Julie hears someone outside and responds, gun in hand. Susan takes the gun and fires out the window, hitting Katherine in the shoulder. Angie Bolen talks Katherine out of calling the police by telling her that Mike's still crazy about her and that by staying quiet, she'll look like a "saint" while Susan looks like a "monster." One night, Katherine calls Mike and asks him to fix a leak at her house. Susan is suspicious and goes with him. She sneaks into Katherine's bedroom and sees roses and candles everywhere and realizes Katherine was planning on seducing Mike. They fight and end up falling into Katherine's bubble bath. Eventually, Katherine tells the police about the shooting and Susan is arrested. At the hearing, Katherine tells the judge that Susan's been trashing her to her friends and Susan is sentenced to community service. When Katherine tests Susan by littering at the community service, Susan reports the incident and Katherine is also sentenced to community service. When M.J. passes by, Katherine tells him how Susan stole Mike away and is a bad mother. Mike is angered by this. When Katherine picks M.J. up from a birthday party and takes him home, Mike confronts her again and coldly tells Katherine that he never loved her at all. A devastated Katherine offers him the knife, telling him stabbing her would be less painful but he says that he doesn't care enough about her to kill her. He leaves and Katherine makes a 911 call, saying she's losing blood and after hanging up, stabs herself. She tells the police Mike stabbed her and he is arrested. Knowing this is a lie Susan tries to reason with Katherine and upon seeing how delusional she is, realizes that she needs serious mental help. Susan calls Dylan and tells her that she should come to Fairview and see her mother. Upon her daughter's return it is revealed that Katherine had been telling her that she and Mike were married and that Susan was the one who stabbed her. Dylan goes to see her mother at the hospital and catches Katherine in her lies. Susan and Dylan then watch as Katherine has a breakdown in the hospital hallway and is restrained. Katherine spends a month in a mental hospital. Departure Katherine then returns to Wisteria Lane, where a party is held for her at Gaby's home. She is hesitant as she feels everyone is judging her based on her past actions. She then meets Robin Gallagher, an ex-stripper living with Susan. Katherine allows Robin to come stay with her after Robin and Susan have a falling out. The two women bond over their troubled pasts and go out for a night of drinking. When all the men begin to hit only on Robin, she stands up for Katherine and explains how beautiful she is and kisses her. Later when they return home, Robin reveals that she is a lesbian. As time goes on Katherine begins to find herself attracted to Robin. Her therapist feels that she is too fragile to embark upon a relationship, and tells Katherine that Robin should not live with her. While she is telling her to move out, however, Katherine ends up telling Robin that she has feelings for her. Robin tells her that she has feelings for Katherine also, and they sleep together. Robin is angry when she sees Katherine flirt with a man at Karen McCluskey's party. Katherine tells Robin that she's confused and doesn't know what she wants. They finally come to an agreement and decide to pack up and leave for Paris together. Post-Departure Katherine has not been mentioned by any of the housewives since leaving Wisteria Lane. Although, it has been hinted that she may return from Paris - this is due to real-life issues with Dana Delany's contract and involvment with another show. Personality When Katherine was introduced to the series, many critics noted that she was very similar to the Bree Hodge character, in that both prided themselves on their domestic skills. Cherry noted that Katherine "was clearly different" before her arrival in the fourth season, which the Susan character confirms when she claims Katherine is "not as fun as she used to be." Her cold exterior is noted by many characters, including Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria Parker), who remarks that Katherine is "smug and 'holier than thou'" and is "getting a reputation around neighborhood for having a stick up her ass!" Though Katherine immediately has conflicts with the other women on the street,7 most notably Bree, she eventually develops close friendships with her neighbors. Nevertheless, her rivalry with Bree continues, but as a natural part of their sisterly relationship. In the sixth season, however, Katherine "morphs into the person the housewives have to hate" in the absence of the Edie Britt character. Relationships Wayne Davis Katherine was married to abusive police officer Wayne Davis. Wayne became increasingly violent toward Katherine, forcing her to flee with Dylan, to Wisteria Lane. Wayne tracked them down and Katherine struck him in the head with a candlestick. Years later, Wayne followed them back to Wisteria Lane, where he and Katherine confronted for the last time. Adam Mayfair After her divorce from Wayne, Katherine married Adam Mayfair, a gynecologist from Chicago. They have to move back to Wisteria Lane, after Adam was sued for sexual harrasment, by a patient, which strained their marriage. Katherine and Adam later break up, after Katherine finds out that he was indeed having an affair with one of his patients. Peter Hickey Katherine was introduced to Orson's "friend", Peter, via Bree, who wanted Katherine to get a boyfriend. The plan works and Katherine and Peter sleep with eachother. However, Bree finds out that Peter is an ex-con who was in jail for organ-trafficking. Katherine breaks up with him and becomes single again, much to her displeasure. Mike Delfino Katherine then gets romatically involved with Mike Delfino. They begin to date, but their relationship hits a several problems; Mike doesn't want to get married again. However, after Susan gets engaged to Jackson, Mike becomes jealous and proposes to Katherine. Katherine discovers that Mike is only marrying her to get back at Susan, but goes ahead with the wedding, anyway. Katherine and Mike go to get married at Las Vegas, but Mike leaves Katherine alone at the airport, rescues Susan from Dave, and marries her instead, leaving Katherine devastated. Katherine suffers from a nervous breakdown and tries to get Mike back from Susan, with no luck. Robin Gallagher Katherine later meets ex-stripper, Robin. Katherine begins to experiment with her sexuality and discovers that she is a lesbian. Horrified, she tries to hide it from her friends. However, she discovers she can't keep such a big secret and decides to move to Paris with Robin. Quotations Behind Closed Doors Audition Delany auditioned for the series' pilot episode in 2004 for the role of Bree Van de Kamp. Creator Marc Cherry thought she delivered "a fantastic audition." Delany was offered the role but rejected it three times.Delany has since insisted that she was not ready to do another television series at the time and that the character of Bree was too similar to her character on Pasadena.The role eventually went to Marcia Cross, Cherry's second choice. Delany reportedly regretted not accepting the part. Character When Cherry was developing Katherine, a character with "a lot of Alpha female qualities and some slyness and darkness," he offered Delany the role. She accepted the role and remained on the series until the middle of the sixth season. Departure Following her multi-episode guest role on another ABC series, Castle, network executives offered Delany the lead in a new pilot for the 2010-2011 television season. Delany filmed the pilot for Body of Proof in April 2010; her absence in Desperate Housewives was explained by having Katherine and her girlfriend, Robin Gallagherleave town indefinitely. In May, ABC picked up Body of Proof for thirteen episodes; thus, Delany will not return for the seventh season of Desperate Housewives as a series regular. Delany admits that her exit from the series was quick, but insists that she may return to the series at some point, regardless of whether or not her new series is successful. Reception Katherine's arrival to the series in the fourth season received positive reviews. Robert Bianco of USA Today praised Delany's portrayal of the character, noting that the season was "shaping up to be the best since the first" due to performance. Other critics agreed that Delany's performance helped the series return to the quality of its first season. Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly confessed that while he is not a fan of Delany's acting, she is "perfect for this role and looks to be a choice adversary for Bree." Awards Following the 2007-2008 television season, Delany was a promising contender for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category, though she did not receive a nomination. In 2009, Delany received a Prism Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Series Trivia *Marc Cherry said that he was originally going to make Katherine and Mike marry, however, fans said that it had better have been Susan that he married. *Susan and Mary Alice knew Katherine previously when she lived in Wisteria Lane at least 12 years before season 4. However Bree was also living on the street at the time (as she lived on Wisteria Lane from 1994), but it seems like Katherine and Bree knew each other from season 4. *The character received media attention when she was involved in the series' first lesbian relationship. Category:Main characters Category:Housewives